We proceeded to the north end of the village, and reined up at the entrance gate of "Chew's House," the most noted and attractive relic of the Revolution now in Germantown. It stands back several rods from the street, on the cast side, and is surrounded by noble trees and shrubbery in profusion. The house is a spacious stone edifice with ample wings. In various parts of the grounds were the mutilated remains of several fine marble statues and vases, some standing, others lying upon the ground. They are evidences of the refined taste of its distinguished owner, Chief-justice Chew, * and at the same time melancholy mementoes of the destructive character of war. These fine specimens of sculpture were all perfect before the conflict known as the Battle of Germantown occurred; they were battered, broken, and cast down by the cannon-balls hurled on that occasion. We passed an hour with the venerable present owner of the mansion, the widow of a son of Chief-justice Chew. She received us with much courtesy, and seemed to take pleasure in leading us to various parts of the grounds. The walls of the large room on the south are covered with old paintings, chiefly family portraits, many of them by eminent artists, and possessing much merit. Mrs. Chew showed me several mementoes of the battle, among which are the scars seen at the head of the great stair-case, which were made by the passage of a cannon-ball through the house. In the stable we saw the old doors of the mansion, completely riddled by musket-balls. Mrs. Chew informed us that the house was so much injured, that four or five carpenters were employed a whole winter in repairing it.
The battle of Germantown was fought on the morning of the 4th of October, 1777. Defeated September 11, 1777 on the banks of the Brandywine, (a) Washington retreated, with his whole army, back to Philadelphia, and encamped at Germantown. As soon as his
* Benjamin Chew was born in Maryland, November 20th, 1722. He studied law first with Andrew Hamilton, and afterward in London. He went to Philadelphia in 1754, where he held the respective offices of recorder of the city, register of wills, attorney general, and finally beeame chief justice of Pennsylvania. His course was doubtful when the Revolution broke out, and he was claimed by both parties. After the promulgation of the Declaration of Independence, he took a decided stand against the Whigs, and retired to private life. In 1777 he refused to sign a parole, and was sent a prisoner to Fredericksburg, Virginia. In 1790 he was appointed president of the High Court of Errors and Appeals, and held that office until the abolition of the tribunal in 1806. He died on the 20th of January, 1810, aged nearly eighty-eight years. His father was the Honorable Samuel Chew, of Delaware, a member of the society of Friends, who was a judge and a physician.
Maneuvers of the two Armies on the Schuylkill.—The British Army at Germantown.—Preparations to Attack it
soldiers were rested and refreshed, * he recrossed the Schuylkill, and marched to September 16 oppose the army of Howe, then pressing on toward Philadelphia. The two armies met near the Warren Tavern, on the Lancaster road, within twenty miles of the city. Washington made preparations to attack the left wing of the enemy, and an engagement was about to take place a little north of the Goshen meeting-house, when a violent storm of rain came on suddenly, wet the powder of both parties, and prevented a conflict.
The storm continued all light, and before dawn the enemy left their position, and moved down the road leading to Swedes Ford. Perceiving this, Washington crossed the Schuylkill above them at Parker's Ford, hoping to be able to confront them while on their passage of the river. Howe did not cross, but wheeled and made a rapid march up the right bank of the stream toward Reading. Supposing Howe's design to be either to turn the right of his army, or to get possession of the American stores deposited at Reading, Washington moved his forces up the river near to Pottsgrove (now Pottstown), twenty miles above Norristown. Howe's march seemed to have been a movement to deceive Washington; for, as soon as the latter moved to Pottsgrove, the former wheeled his army, marched rapidly down the river, crossed it at the Fatland Ford and vicinity (a little above Norristown), and pushed forward to Philadelphia. ** (a) That whole region of country, awed by the a September 18, 1777 presence of the British army, was disaffected toward the American cause, and Washington could obtain no reliable information of the enemy's movements. With correct intelligence, he probably would have foiled Howe by skillful maneuvers, and saved Philadelphia. ***
On first taking possession of Philadelphia, Howe stationed the main division of his army at Germantown. Washington encamped near Pennibecker's mill, between Perkiomy and Skippack Creeks, about twenty miles from Philadelphia, where he remained until about the 1st of October, undetermined what movement to make next, when his forces were augmented by the arrival of troops from Peekskill on the Hudson, and a body of American militia. Advised of the weakened state of Howe's army, in consequence of his detaching a portion for the purpose of reducing Billingsport, and Forts Mercer and Mifflin, on the Delaware, the commander-in-ehief conceived a plan for attacking the main division at Germantown. The British line of encampment there crossed the village at right angles, at about the center, the left wing extending westward from the town to the Schuylkill. It was covered in front by the German chasseurs, some mounted, and some on foot. The right extended eastward from the village, and was covered in front by the Queen's Rangers, a light corps under Lieutenant-colonel Simcoe. The center was posted in the town, and guarded by the fortieth regiment, and another battalion of light infantry was stationed about three fourths of a mile in advance.